Assino: Everyday Culture and Regional History

Assino’s local museum brings together Siberian everyday culture, family history and memories of the Second World War. Its exhibitions offer different ways to explore the past, from tools and clothing to documents about the history of the district.

The Assino Local Museum and Its Collections

The Asino Local Museum is a branch of the Tomsk Regional Museum of Local History. The branch opened on 18 June 1989 in Asino, which was then called Ksenevka. This history gives a visit to the museum a clear local focus: its collections and exhibitions explore the town and its surroundings.

The collection comprises 13,000 objects; the collection size may change. Most belong to the ethnographic collection, which is presented in the exhibition “Ksenyevskaya Starina.” Tools, household items, furnishings and clothing from the late 19th and early 20th centuries illustrate the development of the traditional culture of Siberia’s Russian population. This timeframe makes clear that the exhibition focuses on a particular historical way of life, not a general account of every era.

Documents, photographs, books and personal belongings of G. M. Markov and his family also occupy a significant place in the collection. They complement the ethnographic focus with personal accounts of the past. Visitors encounter history through both everyday objects and materials connected with a family known by name.

Memories of the Second World War

The local museum holds original documents, uniforms and weapons associated with the 370th Rifle Division. A municipal excursion titled “Ukhodil na voynu sibiryak” includes a museum visit and explores the history of the Asino district during the Second World War through exhibitions, artefacts and documents. Check current visiting and booking arrangements for the museum and excursion before your trip.

Other cultural destinations are located elsewhere in the wider Tomsk Oblast.

Cultural Themes in the Wider Destination of Tomsk Oblast

The “Chumel Chvetsch” Museum on Lake Oskino in Parabelsky District introduces visitors to the culture and everyday life of the southern Selkup group. Its reconstructed buildings for living and daily activities include a semi-subterranean dwelling with a pyramidal roof, used until the 17th century, a clay oven and a Russian log house with a vegetable garden. Opened in 2017, the “Tropa Okhotnika” features traditional traps for animals and birds. Visits to the museum must be arranged in advance.

The Museum of Kulai Culture in Podgornoye offers a different perspective on regional history. Its exhibition is devoted to an ancient cultural and historical community whose artefacts were first found near Mount Kulaika. The Kulai culture existed from the 5th century BC to the 5th century AD; its characteristic bronze casting includes flat openwork, flat solid and hollow forms. A guided tour of the permanent exhibition explores the archaeological culture and the world of the Kulai. Groups of two to 25 people can book tours during opening hours; it is best to check current visiting arrangements directly with the museum.

At Okoliza Park, you can view the works of craftspeople throughout the year. Special event spaces showcase regional traditions shaped, among others, by Russian, Tatar, Chinese, Uzbek and Selkup cultures. The rural park is also a traditional venue for the “Prazdnik Topora” festival; specific dates and programmes vary from year to year.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Seversk, Kaftanchikovo, Svetlyy, Semiluzhki, Strezhevoy, Tomsk, Bogashevo, Rodionovo.

Go to the main travel guide: Tomsk Oblast.